First, a minimizer bra doesn't actually make your breasts smaller. They'll still be the same size. What this type of bra does is slightly 're-arranges' your breast tissue so you appear to be smaller. For example, instead of lifting and pushing the breasts forward, a good minimizer bra could lightly flatten the cups or maybe cheat your boobs to the sides a little bit. You'll find that a good minimizer can really help with how your shirts fit, especially button up shirts. Which brings me to my second point....

I recommend all big busted women have at least one minimizer bra in their lingerie drawer. It's a fabulous tool that can help fix a last minute problem where a shirt just doesn't quite fit. Some ladies like to wear a minimizing bra all day every day, some ladies choose to wear one with a work uniform, others only wear it with certain outfits. The important thing is to have one so you have the option to whip it out if needed.

Let's look at Cup Shape and Profile First....

One of the interesting things I found while researching and experimenting with different minimizers is how unique their shapes were.

All 4 bras fit great, but with one bra I was more pointy, another more flattened, and there was even one bra that somehow managed to flatten the bottom of the bra cup. It's hard to describe with words, so I'll just show you.

Look at the profile of me wearing 4 different minimizing bras.....

These bras are all size 34DDD except the Chantelle Bra which is a 34F (which is their equivalent to a 34DDD)

The thing I want you to notice is how different all 4 of the bras made my breasts look.

The Bali was more uplifted and pointed.

The Chantelle was very round.

The Lilyette was also on the pointy end.

Finally the Wacoal had a very unique shape. Somehow it managed to uplift and round the top part of my breasts while slightly flattening the bottom half. You can kind of see it in the picture above and I'll point it out in the 'Wacoal' section below.

I guess why I'm mentioning all this is because I want you to realize that different minimizer bras will make your breasts look different. Try several, see which one you like best.

I recommend doing what I did and ordering a few, try them on at home with a bunch of different shirts and see how they change the fit of your clothes.

Here are the Minimizing Bras I tried....

As you'll notice from my graphic, it had an underwire that fit nicely around my breasts. The support was probably the best of the 4 minimizing bras I tried. The cups had a seam through the middle which was slightly noticeable under my thin shirts. The straps were wide and padded which was nice comfortwise, but felt kind of old ladyish to me stylewise.

One thing I didn't like about this bra was it pushed all my boob fat up and out by my armpits. I don't blame the bra, it's just way my body is, but some bras do it worse than others, this bra was bad that way.

The Bali Minimizing Bra decreased my bust size by half an inch, taking me from 40.5 inches (wearing my everyday bra) to 40 inches (wearing the Bali Minimizing Bra). It came in 4th as far as how much it 'reduced' my measurement.

The cup is made up of 3 sections as the name implies and this is great for support and minimizing, but it also leaves some pretty noticeable seams under shirts.

Another thing I didn't like as much about this bra is there was quite a bit of arm rubbing on the side of my boobs. Some minimizing bras have the tendency to push breast tissue out the sides of the bra, which means your arms can rub against the bra/shirt and chaff a little bit. I know that probably doesn't make sense unless you've experienced it before and I'm guessing that most big busted ladies understand what I'm talking about.

The Lilyette minimizing bra reduced my bust measurement 3/4 inches, taking me from a 40.5 inch bust to a 39.75 inch bust. Which sounds small, but can make a huge difference when wearing a button up shirt.

I really really liked the Chantelle Molded Minimizer Bra. It gave me a great rounded shape. The bra itself is sexy, in fact, my husband was helping with measurements and photos and when he saw this bra he said, 'Well Hello There!" Which doesn't sound flirty now that I type it, but it was and he liked this bra. ;)

I really liked the seamless cups. The looked great under every shirt I tried on. The straps are pretty with the little embroidery design on them.

Let's talk cup shape for a second. This was definitely the most unique shape out of the bunch. Maybe it's just me, but whenever I try on a new bra I always run my hands over and around the cups to feel the shape and how it fits. When I did that with the Wacoal, I said, "Wow, that's different!" This bra gave me a shape I haven't had before especially on the bottom side of my bust. It kind of flattened it. It sounds weird, but it wasn't bad. In fact, I really liked it and it really looked good under shirts.

Like the Chantelle, this bra also reduced my bustline by an inch! It's comfortable and out of the 4 bras, it's the one I decided to keep. I feel like this is one of the best minimizer bras to try.

Summarizing the Stats....

Are These the Best Minimizer Bras?

I don't know if these are the best minimizer bras because there are literally hundreds of different brands and styles of minimizer bras.

However, I feel confident in recommending all 4 of these bras to you to try. I especially liked the Chantelle and the Wacoal. They were clear favorites for me and they were also reduced my bustline the most, which is what you're looking for in a minimizing bra.

Don't be afraid to try a couple of different ones.

If you're interested in trying a couple of these, I ordered mine from Herroom.com.

I'm an affiliate of theirs, so I get a small commission if you decide to order. (thanks! in advance!)

Just Click on the images below and it will take you to the exact page on their site.